Finders Keepers
by i-digress
Summary: one shot fic. Poor Spike. Been on his best behaviour, thought everything was fine. But somehow he's still managed to upset Buffy...


Finders Keepers  
  
Disclaimer: anything but plot and...er, just the plot I guess, belong to Joss and ME et al.  
  
A/N: had a few questions running through my head after Get It Done and they wouldn't go away. So I tried to come up with an answer. Not saying it's in any way right but it's keeping me happy. Thanks as always to Trisha for the beta and back up. Rating is due to language and some vague sexual references.  
  
Spoilers: not really but it assumes events through to season seven and the episode Get It Done.  
  
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Spike watched as Buffy approached his cot. He'd considered putting the chains on but figured the night wasn't over yet so he'd wait a bit. Seeing the look on Buffy's face made him glad he was free to run. Not that he would. After all, the Big Bad was back and he didn't run from the Slayer. Cower, maybe. Run, no.  
  
"You shouldn't have done it, Spike." Okay, that didn't sound good. What shouldn't he have done? And why did she sound so disappointed?  
  
"I trusted you and you let me down." Oh Christ, what had he done?!?  
  
"You said you were okay with me moving on. When I told you I needed you, I didn't expect to have to start watching you again." Had something happened to Wood? Was he being held responsible? Oh no. Maybe he's been getting little messages from the First again. Maybe he'd killed... No, no way. His memory of the evening was clear. And quite frankly he couldn't think of anything he'd done that the Slayer could disapprove of. Hadn't he followed orders like a good little soldier?  
  
"Well?" And now she was looking at him. Waiting for something.  
  
"Well, what? What have I done now?" Not exactly conciliatory but he was feeling a tad miffed. Could've sworn he'd done his bit all right and tight.  
  
"Duh! Going through my things. Are you gonna get all stalkery on me again? 'Cos Spike, I thought we were okay." Buffy sounded sad, the words and body language a touch harsh but the tone... The tone of voice said she was on the edge of tears.  
  
So some bugger had been going through the Slayers stuff, eh? And he was in the frame for it. Must be a reason Buffy though it was him. After all, she believed in him. So when he found out what bastard had set him up, Spike planned to rip them a new one. Partly for getting him into trouble but mainly for upsetting the Slayer. The git had better watch his - or maybe her - back.  
  
"Not me, luv. Swear -"  
  
"Don't! Don't lie to me, Spike. I know it was you. Why didn't you just ask? I thought you trusted me? I thought I could trust you to be in the house and not cross the line. Oh god, you weren't after my panties, were you?"  
  
Spike and Buffy wore identical looks of horror. As they tried to get their thoughts together, Buffy sank on to the cot next to Spike. Which came as some reassurance to the confused vampire. If she was sitting down then she must still trust him. Regardless of what she said.  
  
"Buffy, I promise -"  
  
"If that was it, I kinda wish you'd asked. I mean it's not like I don't know about your little...fetish. You didn't bother trying to hide it before. Is it the soul making you feel, you know, ashamed? 'Cos lots of other people, 'in all other ways normal' people, have got a thing." Buffy found it impossible to look at him as she spoke. So she looked at her hands, twisting the edge of her shirt, knowing that if she tugged on it any harder it was going to tear. Almost wanting the distraction as the words continued to rush out of her mouth.  
  
"A thing like you with the panties. So, yeah, eww but not evil. I don't think. And...and...I'm not happy about it but...I can sorta understand. If you'd said something I'd have been freaked but...better than finding out like this. And you know? Just going through my stuff? And with this many girls in the house? Might not even be my panties. Did you think of that? 'Cos this much laundry, things are bound to get mixed up." When Buffy finally paused for breath, Spike gently took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. He struggled to find the right words, gave up and just went for it.  
  
"I haven't been going through your bloody undies, alright? Already got a decent collection, straight from the source. And no, I'm not bleedin' ashamed. What the hell makes you think I'd go back to taking keepsakes when I'm around you all the time anyway? Don't need them."  
  
For a moment Buffy looked him in the eyes, still very unsure. As she opened her lips to speak again Spike's look of concern turned to one of anger.  
  
"Was it Andrew? Has the little shit been playing with your lacy little nothings? I'll rip his arms off. That boy has too much unrelieved libido and far too much bloody freedom. Where is the stupid ponce? I'll teach him to put his hands where they don't belong."  
  
Spike tried to stand up but was stopped by the Slayer's firm grip on his arm.  
  
"Spike, stop it! I don' t think anyone's been going in my underwear drawer, I just thought it might explain what you'd been looking for. Unless...ewwwww! You don't think Andrew would... Who am I kidding? He so would. But that's not what I was talking about. Just tell me. Please."  
  
Buffy's voice was almost desperate on the last word. For the life - er, unlife - of him, Spike couldn't figure out what was going on in his beloved's head. She wanted to think good of him, that much was clear, but something had got her knickers in a twist. If he knew what then maybe he could solve their little dilemma.  
  
"Luv, I really don't know what you're talking about. No, don't interrupt! What I was gonna say is - why do you think I'd break your trust like that? Now, after all that's happened? Has someone said something? Did you find something? Or lose something? Tell me and we'll figure this out together. You and me." He risked resting his hand against her cheek, hoping the touch would reassure her of his good intentions. And still desperate, even after all he'd said over the last few weeks, to be as near to her as possible.  
  
"I can see it, Spike. I don't understand why you're lying to me when the proof is right there. Just explain and I'll forgive you. It's not that major just...disappointing." Spike was overjoyed when Buffy put her hand over his and pressed his palm to her skin. But his happiness was marred by the thought that he'd failed her somehow. In someway that was supposed to be obvious to him. But wasn't.  
  
"I don't know what you see, Buffy, but it's clear I've done something. And I'm sorry, whatever it is. And I'll make it right. But you've got to tell me, luv, what is it you see?"  
  
"The coat, Spike. I see the coat."  
  
"Well, yeah and?" Now he was more confused than ever. He'd gone to get the duster in an attempt to wake up the beast in himself. Something she'd said she needed.  
  
"It's been in my closet since you left. So if you're wearing it you must've been through my stuff. No one knew it was there. Why would you think I'd still have it? So.what were you looking for and why didn't you just ask?"  
  
It took all of her limited restraint to stop Buffy hitting him as Spike started to laugh. Not a little snigger or half smile that was the most he'd seemed to manage since he came back. A full blown, side-splitting roar of laughter. How dare he think this was funny! She'd trusted him!  
  
"Stop laughing! My personal space is...personal! It's bad enough sharing the bathroom with a house full of teenagers. I need to know that my stuff isn't being messed with. Stop it!" And now Buffy did hit him, just hard enough to knock him backward on to the cot.  
  
As he fell, Spike instinctively tightened his hold on Buffy, pulling her down on top of him. The shock of having her so close and in such a potentially compromising position killed his laughter. He knew he should let go but, god, he'd missed this. And it wasn't like she was struggling. Just looking at him, her expression a combination of irritation and apprehension. Surprisingly mild emotions considering their current position. He returned his hand to her face and gently stroked her jaw line.  
  
"I haven't been though your stuff, Buffy. Not only because I'd risk upsetting you if I did that but because I didn't need to. If you went and looked in your closet now the coat would still be there. I promise."  
  
Now it was Buffy's turn to be confused.  
  
"But...how come? This is the coat. THE coat. The one and only 'Spike's a badass' black leather, all season coat."  
  
Spike smiled. Not only was he no longer in trouble but Buffy was still resting against him. Not only was she not pulling away, she seemed to be settling herself a little closer.  
  
"Not quite, pet. Never wondered how I'd get all covered in demon guts but the next time you saw me the coat looked good as new? Well, apart from a bit of wear and tear it picked up over the years."  
  
It went straight to his heart how her nose wrinkled as she put some serious thought into his question.  
  
"No. I never did. Hey, bigger concerns than how you looked. Most of the time. So what's the what?"  
  
"Two coats, pet. Used to have three but some bugger shredded the other one past repair. After I...acquired...the original I checked the label, went to the store it came from and got a five-fingered discount on the other two. Not one to plan ahead but I knew that my...lifestyle...was tough on clothes so thought I'd better have back ups. Seeing as how I knew straight off it was going to be the signature piece of my wardrobe, if you know what I mean." Spike was uncomfortable talking about the coat's source, even vaguely, with Buffy. But if he was going to be wearing it again then he'd have to see it as a costume that helped him get the job done. Nothing more. Might as well get used to it.  
  
Buffy's relief, her happiness that Spike hadn't let her down, was so overwhelming that she didn't even notice that she was hugging him to her. And Spike wasn't about to bring it up. He didn't want to move in case she left. Didn't even want to speak in case it brought her back to reality. But his curiosity was starting to drive him mad.  
  
"So, my coat's been in your closet all this time."  
  
"Mmmm, hmmm." Fortunately for Spike his Slayer didn't seem inclined to move.  
  
"And what were you planning to do with it, if you don't mind me asking. Seeing as how you haven't given it back."  
  
Buffy jerked away from him, eyes wide and looking very guilty.  
  
"Nothing! I was...looking after it for you. Yeah, and I didn't give it back because...ummm, well you were insane and you wouldn't have looked after it. And...and then...you weren't going out 'cos you were chained up, so you didn't need it. And then you weren't here so...duh! And since I got you back, it's been chaos and...I forgot about it. See? All good. Coat-wise." She was sitting next to him again, back to tugging at the hem of her shirt, back to avoiding looking at him. So what had the Slayer been up to with his coat? Interesting, very interesting.  
  
"You been wearing it, then? Or what? You've been up to something, Buffy. Gonna share?" Spike couldn't resist teasing her. It had been a while since they'd been this comfortable together. Not that they'd been comfortable very often. But she wasn't running and if he kept things light then she might stay with him a bit longer.  
  
"God, no! The damn things huge on me. If I wanna go to a fancy dress party as a cross between you and Clem then I'm good wearing the coat. But for anything else? Not so good. I'd need to roll the sleeves up a couple of times at least and I'd be tripping over the hem every other step." She was smiling. Buffy was sitting in the same room as him and smiling. Spike hadn't forgotten how good that could make him feel. But he hadn't expected to feel this way after all that had taken place.  
  
"So you tried it on at least. Hmmm. If you weren't planning to wear it, what were you going to do with it."  
  
Maybe he shouldn't have pushed it. Now Buffy looked even more guilty than before. And more uncomfortable. She hadn't been planning on setting up her own shrine had she? Spike dismissed the idea even as it formed. Had she touched it? Held it? Slept with it in an effort to remember him, keep him close? He nearly burst out laughing again. No. That wasn't Buffy's style. And didn't fit their history in any way. He was the one into momentos.  
  
"C'mon, Buffy. Can't be that bad." He had somehow slipped into using his 'bedroom' voice. The one that Buffy had always responded to when she wasn't either fighting or running. He saw her shiver in response and wondered what else she would still respond to.  
  
"Well, you know, the money from the DMP wasn't so hot." Huh? Spike was back to being confused. He thought about it for a minute and stifled the outrage that threatened to break free.  
  
"You were gonna sell it?!?"  
  
"No! No, no, no. Of course I wasn't gonna sell it. Jeez, Spike, I've got some sense of history." Spike's concern was softened by the way Buffy reached out and took his hand, squeezing it as if to reassure him.  
  
"So what were you going to do and what's it got to do with the bloody pittance they paid you at Fast Food Hell?"  
  
Buffy inhaled deeply. She wasn't too sure how he was going to take her answer and was prepared for him to go off the deep end. Not that he'd done that for a while but this was his beloved coat they were talking about. Well, one of them.  
  
"Leather's not cheap. Not good leather. And your coat? Way good leather. And, see, I tore my last pair of leather pants fighting a Gwilgorhan demon over the summer. I mean the only ones I had left before I got the job at the high school and re-stocked. And only one of my leather jackets is still wearable. And there's a lot of cowhide in that coat. And there's this shop in the mall that does alterations...or...makes things cheap...if you provide the material...so...ummmm...yeah." As Buffy finished she sneaked a peak at Spike's face. He really didn't look too happy.  
  
"You were gonna cut it up! I thought you said you had a sense of history. Bloody hell." Buffy's concern at his annoyance changed gears when she saw a wicked smile form on his lips. That was a look she hadn't seen since...since the night Riley was in town.  
  
"So you were going to wear a bit of my history, my second skin if you will, next to your body, eh? I think I like that idea." And Spike leaned towards her.  
  
Buffy's relief turned to panic as her temperature abruptly rose. She jumped up and headed to the stairs. She could see where this was heading and she wasn't ready. The timing was all wrong.  
  
As she was about to climb up the stairs and out of a suddenly dangerous situation, she looked back. Spike looked lost, his head down, staring at the floor. No, it wasn't the right time. But Buffy had the feeling that it wouldn't be long till the time would be...ideal.  
  
"I kinda like the idea as well." Spike's head jerked up and he looked at her in shock. The shock slowly turned to hope.  
  
Buffy gave him a shy smile and turned, put her foot on the first step, sighed, and headed upstairs.  
  
Yep, soon. When the time was right. 


End file.
